Thailand Elite Visa flaws my review!

[ThomasThBKK]

9 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

Just poor english, thats all. I find that all over Asia, they know how to write English but really dont

It's not the english, if my employes would send out such an email to any of our customers he's instantly fired.

That's not how you sell something, via passive aggressive blackmailing.

 

Also there english is perfect when i write with them and they have mostly western names, i assume the customer service department is run by a bunch of farrang that know how to do it and the sales group above by some hiso thai that got this job because his uncle is some guvment hiso.

 

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, ThomasThBKK said:

It's not the english, if my employes would send out such an email to any of our customers he's instantly fired.

That's not how you sell something, via passive aggressive blackmailing.

 

Also there english is perfect when i write with them and they have mostly western names, i assume the customer service department is run by a bunch of farrang that know how to do it and the sales group above by some hiso thai that got this job because his uncle is some guvment hiso.

 

I'm sure if I cared enough I could rewrite that blurb and have you reaching into your wallet, and be blatant about the blackmail (+_+)(+_+)(+_+)

[pookondee]

OP, i thought one would look into the conditions first, before outlaying that sort of cash?

 

Even i was aware of those issues, and im not even in the market for it, just more out of curiosity.

 

Its just a crazy price for what they are giving you..which is in effect really nothing.

 

and its certainly a product that costs them nothing to give you, so in my books thats pretty close to corruption.

 

I dont know your nationality,

but 500k baht?

and you still pay 1900 a year and have to report!!

im sorry but thats just taking the pเ$$!

 

-its enough to buy a very decent car where i come from.

-or rent a decent appartment for quite a while if i went back home.

 

-could even do many trips to my own country and come back here with fresh METV's for that amount.

 

Maybe if you are old and swimming in money, but at these exchange rates..

no thanks!

 

 

 

[ukrules]

19 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

You paid for 5 years and thats what they gave you. pay for another 5. Thats not an apology just the fact.

But I got 6 years, I'm 5 and a half years into my 5 year visa right now, explain that?

[fforest1]

9 hours ago, pookondee said:

OP, i thought one would look into the conditions first, before outlaying that sort of cash?

 

Even i was aware of those issues, and im not even in the market for it, just more out of curiosity.

 

Its just a crazy price for what they are giving you..which is in effect really nothing.

 

and its certainly a product that costs them nothing to give you, so in my books thats pretty close to corruption.

 

I dont know your nationality,

but 500k baht?

and you still pay 1900 a year and have to report!!

im sorry but thats just taking the pเ$$!

 

-its enough to buy a very decent car where i come from.

-or rent a decent appartment for quite a while if i went back home.

 

-could even do many trips to my own country and come back here with fresh METV's for that amount.

 

Maybe if you are old and swimming in money, but at these exchange rates..

no thanks!

 

 

 

These are good points.......The Elite visa is really a horrible deal in many ways...If you got cash to burn its can come in handy I guess.....Its sad but the under 50s really have no other choice for long stays after they have milked the ED and tourist visas for a number of years.....

 

500K would pay for a 10-11 thousand baht a month apartment for around 4 years....

Edited September 20, 2019 by fforest1

[pookondee]

31 minutes ago, fforest1 said:

These are good points.......The Elite visa is really a horrible deal in many ways...If you got cash to burn its can come in handy I guess.....Its sad but the under 50s really have no other choice for long stays after they have milked the ED and tourist visas for a number of years.....

 

500K would pay for a 10-11 thousand baht a month apartment for around 4 years....

Exactly.

And the 5 years will fly by before you know it.

So, back to no visa, having blown 500k + 5 years living expenses.

 

So, elite visa + 5 years expenses??

id say minimum 5million baht?

maybe a lot more depending on lifestyle 

 

If it were me, id have to work part of the 5 years back home to finance such a scenario.

Then of course you're blowing more time and money on airfares..

Which kinda scotches the whole idea of 5 years easy visa right there!

 

Come to think of it, if having to fork out $15,000 up front, just for the right to stay somewhere, i think id rather just stay home and be done with it.

[onera1961]

4 hours ago, pookondee said:

Exactly.

And the 5 years will fly by before you know it.

So, back to no visa, having blown 500k + 5 years living expenses.

 

So, elite visa + 5 years expenses??

id say minimum 5million baht?

maybe a lot more depending on lifestyle 

 

If it were me, id have to work part of the 5 years back home to finance such a scenario.

Then of course you're blowing more time and money on airfares..

Which kinda scotches the whole idea of 5 years easy visa right there!

I think TE is desgined for people who travel frequently to Thailand for short visits. It is a hassle free entry with some benefits. Many countries give these type of visa for a visa fee of around $200. LIke 10-year US visa. These type of people don't care about air fare. However, people living on somtam and $40 baht street vendors pork soup and rice, it means lots. 

[Caldera]

4 hours ago, onera1961 said:

I think TE is desgined for people who travel frequently to Thailand for short visits.

I think that might well have been a valid argument for its original version, which gives you unlimited and (hopefully) hassle-free stays of 90 days each. With the current version that gets you stamped in for a whole year a time, I think that argument no longer makes sense.

 

I'd say it's designed for people who don't want to be bothered with immigration matters, no matter how long they want to stay on any given visit, and are willing to pay for that privilege.

 

Unfortunately, the muppets that run Thai Elite and immigration have recently done their very best (reports of TM30 fines, then that despicable letter members get to "encourage" them to renew) to undermine that sense of being a privileged/valued visitor. I'd expect some fallout from this.

[khunpa]

Personally, I think the Elite visa is a great and hassle free option. I will keep renewing mine even-though I could get a marriage visa.

 

I just can not be bothered with the hassle and since I also use the the airport transfer services very often, I find it to be a good deal.

 

If you think the 500K is a lot of money for you and not worth it, then why waste your time on crying about it?

 

If it was 100.000 THB there would really be no reason to call it "Elite" would there? Its like people who buy a Ferrari. Its basically just a car... and will take you from A to B. But still people buy them and for their own reasons.

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2019 by khunpa

[Tuvoc]

3 hours ago, khunpa said:

Personally, I think the Elite visa is a great and hassle free option. I will keep renewing mine even-though I could get a marriage visa.

 

Exactly. I'm retiring to Thailand next year. Over 50 with a Thai wife, so I can choose between marriage or retirement visa/extensions. Yet I'm still considering the Elite visa as a possible alternative. I suspect my wife will say it is money down the toilet but let's see.  I need to consider travel plan also. If I don't go out of the country at least once a year, then there is still an annual immigration visit even with this visa, although it is still much easier.

[JohnnyBKK]

500K THB invested in Bitcoin instead of buying the elite visa would have made me very very very rich. So next year when my elite visa expires I will move out of the country and invest into Bitcoin the savings and see where I'm in 5 years.

[ThomasThBKK]

50 minutes ago, JohnnyBKK said:

500K THB invested in Bitcoin instead of buying the elite visa would have made me very very very rich. So next year when my elite visa expires I will move out of the country and invest into Bitcoin the savings and see where I'm in 5 years.

 

You can say that about absolutely everything you bought, nothing to do with this visa. It's not really meant for people who would have to spend all their savings on it...

[Tuvoc]

1 hour ago, JohnnyBKK said:

500K THB invested in Bitcoin instead of buying the elite visa would have made me very very very rich. So next year when my elite visa expires I will move out of the country and invest into Bitcoin the savings and see where I'm in 5 years.

 

Easy to be wise in hindsight. It could also have lost you money - and may well do if you invest today.

[XB12X]

Just a quick question. Do you still have to get a re-entry permit with the 5-year Elite Visa? Shame you have to do the 90-Day Report.

[BritTim]

6 minutes ago, XB12X said:

Just a quick question. Do you still have to get a re-entry permit with the 5-year Elite Visa? Shame you have to do the 90-Day Report.

During the five-year term of the visa, no re-entry permit is required. If you enter just before expiry of the visa (getting a one-year permission to stay) and subsequently wish to make an overseas trip, you can try to apply for a re-entry permit to keep that extra time (after expiry of the Elite membership) intact. There have been questions raised as to whether this is valid, but it seems mostly to work.

[Tuvoc]

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

During the five-year term of the visa, no re-entry permit is required. If you enter just before expiry of the visa (getting a one-year permission to stay) and subsequently wish to make an overseas trip, you can try to apply for a re-entry permit to keep that extra time (after expiry of the Elite membership) intact. There have been questions raised as to whether this is valid, but it seems mostly to work.

 

Yes lots of discussion on that 6th year !  Seems to me that the 5 year membership allows entry into the country for a 5 year period, and if in that 5th year of permission to enter you get stamped in for a further 12 months, that is perfectly legit as the immigration regulations then give you legal status even if the underlying elite card that allowed that entry has expired. Of course that is not Thai Elite's official position as they want to sell you another membership. But yeah, if you leave in that 6th year a re-entry permit is a grey area.

[ukrules]

58 minutes ago, Tuvoc said:

 

Yes lots of discussion on that 6th year !  Seems to me that the 5 year membership allows entry into the country for a 5 year period, and if in that 5th year of permission to enter you get stamped in for a further 12 months, that is perfectly legit as the immigration regulations then give you legal status even if the underlying elite card that allowed that entry has expired. Of course that is not Thai Elite's official position as they want to sell you another membership. But yeah, if you leave in that 6th year a re-entry permit is a grey area.

If you think about what's happening here then there is a logic to it.

 

Many people have 20 year memberships, some have 10 year memberships and I believe a lot more have 5 year memberships but immigration don't know who has which because everyone gets the exact same 5 year visa and even then some of them are shorter due to passport expiry dates.

 

I went out through the airport last November and as my previous membership had expired and I was in the 6th year even though I had just started a second 5 year membership (not yet issued) I went through the regular immigration, the lady could see that my visa had expired and she said next time I should use the fast track immigration on the way out of the country for my convenience as there are less people there - they don't seem to have any idea about the memberships and the duration, all they know about are 5 year visas and 1 year stamps.

 

If you're 4 years, 11 months and 3 weeks into a 10 or 20 year membership and enter the country you would expect a 1 year stamp as promised and you will get one regardless of how long is left on the visa in your passport, same as if your membership expired a week before due to a 2 week delay in getting the visa inserted - because they have no way of knowing the difference.

 

[FlyingThai]

Considering TE now has a promotion that gives you six months extra validity how exactly does that work when it comes to the visa issued if all they do is attaching a 5 year label into the passport?

 

Are you getting a new 6 month visa 5 years from now?

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, FlyingThai said:

Considering TE now has a promotion that gives you six months extra validity how exactly does that work when it comes to the visa issued if all they do is attaching a 5 year label into the passport?

 

Are you getting a new 6 month visa 5 years from now?

It is a good question. Simplest would just be to tell immigration at every entry point to treat Thailand Elite visas with an expiry date between the appropriate limits as if it was actually six months later. Another fairly easy alternative is for immigration to amend the current visa (requiring a visit to the immigration office).

[jacob29]

On 9/20/2019 at 4:15 PM, pookondee said:

Its just a crazy price for what they are giving you..which is in effect really nothing.

 

and its certainly a product that costs them nothing to give you, so in my books thats pretty close to corruption.

You're missing the point. It wasn't created as a cost effective way to remain in Thailand long term, something that backpackers or budget tourists could take advantage of. It's a way to encourage high net worth individuals who want to settle in Thailand an option, which benefits the Thai economy. They don't want people to live here, but if there's enough benefit for the Thai economy, they're willing to make concessions. That's not corruption, that's just pragmatic. Set the price to extortionate, to filter out people who aren't flush with cash. That's by design, it wouldn't work otherwise.

 

[FlyingThai]

2 hours ago, BritTim said:

It is a good question. Simplest would just be to tell immigration at every entry point to treat Thailand Elite visas with an expiry date between the appropriate limits as if it was actually six months later. Another fairly easy alternative is for immigration to amend the current visa (requiring a visit to the immigration office).

I don't think that first option would be a very good idea and as someone who is getting a new 5 (5.5) year TE next month I definitely wouldn't accept a quasi "handshake deal" that the IO's know about it 5 years from now. Not in Thailand. In fact not anywhere if a $16k purchase is involved. I'm having a meeting next week at their office and will get this matter cleared (gonna report back here).

 

It wouldn't be practical either. Several times over the years I had an IO give me an incorrect entry in the passport and since the first time that happened I immediately check the stamp every single time, I don't trust them handling even a normal stamping correctly and they get really defensive when you demand a correction because then they have to tell their boss. The best was one time when I got a stamp that was dated a week in the past. This lady had stamped in people all day long with a wrong date and they refused to fix it until the head honcho arrived who then appeared to give the involved officers a serious colonoscopy. They sit around, play on their phones or get otherwise distracted. Nah!

 

In my case it's actually easy since my passport expires in 3 years and I need a new label into the renewed passport anyway.

Edited August 7, 2020 by FlyingThai
Typo

[FlyingThai]

1 hour ago, jacob29 said:

You're missing the point. It wasn't created as a cost effective way to remain in Thailand long term, something that backpackers or budget tourists could take advantage of. It's a way to encourage high net worth individuals who want to settle in Thailand an option, which benefits the Thai economy. They don't want people to live here, but if there's enough benefit for the Thai economy, they're willing to make concessions. That's not corruption, that's just pragmatic. Set the price to extortionate, to filter out people who aren't flush with cash. That's by design, it wouldn't work otherwise.

 

Exactly. Although I wouldn't call $3k per year (or $1600 on the 20 year SE Option) extortionate. I've dealt with immigration lawyers in the U.S. and Canada before and THAT was extortionate. the sums we're talking about here pale in comparison to that.

 

I seriously don't get the type of people who complain about a program that already carries the word ELITE in it's name. I don't consider myself "elite" as per definition but if the government wanted every bum to get this card/visa they would have named it Thailand Poverty and sell it at Khao San Road.

[DUS]

6 hours ago, FlyingThai said:

Considering TE now has a promotion that gives you six months extra validity how exactly does that work when it comes to the visa issued if all they do is attaching a 5 year label into the passport?

 

Are you getting a new 6 month visa 5 years from now?

I asked TE that question on the day I received their email about the "free 6 months extension". They replied by saying: " ... and when you come back you can get the new Elite visa sticker for another 6 months." The "when you come back" referred to my fictitious example dates that I gave them in my email. So, given their reply, it does indeed look like a new visa sticker valid for 6 months and a 1 year entry stamp for whenever you re-enter during this 6 month validity.

[alyx]

On 8/6/2020 at 8:20 PM, ukrules said:

If you think about what's happening here then there is a logic to it.

 

Many people have 20 year memberships, some have 10 year memberships and I believe a lot more have 5 year memberships but immigration don't know who has which because everyone gets the exact same 5 year visa and even then some of them are shorter due to passport expiry dates.

 

I went out through the airport last November and as my previous membership had expired and I was in the 6th year even though I had just started a second 5 year membership (not yet issued) I went through the regular immigration, the lady could see that my visa had expired and she said next time I should use the fast track immigration on the way out of the country for my convenience as there are less people there - they don't seem to have any idea about the memberships and the duration, all they know about are 5 year visas and 1 year stamps.

 

If you're 4 years, 11 months and 3 weeks into a 10 or 20 year membership and enter the country you would expect a 1 year stamp as promised and you will get one regardless of how long is left on the visa in your passport, same as if your membership expired a week before due to a 2 week delay in getting the visa inserted - because they have no way of knowing the difference.

 

What do you mean, the immigration does not know what kind of "class" the visa is? If I am not mistaken these visas are labelled according to their categories and therefore the immigration officer is well aware of the duration of these visas

[FlyingThai]

3 minutes ago, alyx said:

What do you mean, the immigration does not know what kind of "class" the visa is? If I am not mistaken these visas are labelled according to their categories and therefore the immigration officer is well aware of the duration of these visas

The IO can't tell if you're on your 1/2/3/4th 5 year visa sticker just by the designator of the membership number on the visa label (UP/FP/SE etc). The only way to check that would be the membership card.

[alyx]

40 minutes ago, FlyingThai said:

The IO can't tell if you're on your 1/2/3/4th 5 year visa sticker just by the designator of the membership number on the visa label (UP/FP/SE etc). The only way to check that would be the membership card.

Well I am confused or maybe I did not understand the comment I replied to.

I was talking about the kind of visa the member is on: the immigration officer knows if it is a 5/10/20/life as the categories are labelled accordingly.

Now, what you are saying is that they cannot know if the member is on their 1/2/3/4 or fifth year? But...the dates of issue and when the visa ends is clearly specified. How would anyone "not" know ?

Again I might be misunderstanding

Apologies in advance

[ukrules]

48 minutes ago, alyx said:

What do you mean, the immigration does not know what kind of "class" the visa is? If I am not mistaken these visas are labelled according to their categories and therefore the immigration officer is well aware of the duration of these visas

Membership - they don't know what type of membership you have, all they see is a 5 year Thailand Elite PE visa which does not mention the duration of your membership.

 

If you have a 20 year membership then you will be issued 4 of these 5 year visas over the years.

[FlyingThai]

1 minute ago, alyx said:

Well I am confused or maybe I did not understand the comment I replied to.

I was talking about the kind of visa the member is on: the immigration officer knows if it is a 5/10/20/life as the categories are labelled accordingly.

Now, what you are saying is that they cannot know if the member is on their 1/2/3/4 or fifth year? But...the dates of issue and when the visa ends is clearly specified. How would anyone "not" know ?

Again I might be misunderstanding

Apologies in advance

The Visa itself only shows you "Issued on: xx.xx.xxx" and "Valid until xx.xx.xxxx" and that's a 5 year period.

 

The label doesn't contain the date your TE membership started or when your first visa was issued.

 

Of course they know the type of visa which is "PE" [or "SE" for the older types].

[alyx]

2 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Membership - they don't know what type of membership you have, all they see is a 5 year Thailand Elite PE visa which does not mention the duration of your membership.

 

If you have a 20 year membership then you will be issued 4 of these 5 year visas over the years.

Ok...so you are saying that all the visas are marked equally? 

Yours is a 20 year if I recall correctly...what is written in your visa: PE visa ?

[alyx]

1 minute ago, FlyingThai said:

The Visa itself only shows you "Issued on: xx.xx.xxx" and "Valid until xx.xx.xxxx" and that's a 5 year period.

 

The label doesn't contain the date your TE membership started or when your first visa was issued.

 

Of course they know the type of visa which is "PE" [or "SE" for the older types].

Agreed...and that is why I am confused as you all seem to be writing about the sixth year (so the number of renewed visas is irrelevant ) or I must be missing something as I am pretty certain that the immigration would not give an extension at a later than the date stipulated on the visa of the member.